road to ruin
by TuesdayTerrible
Summary: With Merles direction, Daryl finds himself in an uncomfortable position trying to save Carols life.


Authors Note: Seems that I come up with the most ideas when Im unable to type then- since Ive finally fixed my computer- out came one of these ideas. A Carol/Daryl with a bit of Merle rememberance. This is mostly a smut fic, but at the same time- its more than that. I hope you all enjoy it- I certainly had fun writing it.

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**Road to Ruin  
by: TuesdayTerrible**

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He watches his brother through the fire, that familiar mocking grin dances across his (should be, but not dead) features, the smile reaching all the way to his eyes.

The wind outside roars, and the snow falls if possible even harder.

.

_"Cant make a damn fire with out that lighter o' yours can ya boy?" _

Daryl wished for one minute Merle's voice would stay out of his head. He was beginning to wander if thats how people grieved with death now in this world. If the souls killed by the cruelty of the world were now forced to be lodged into those of the remaining survivors. Rick with his wife, and now Daryl with his brother.

He looked towards Carol who was dripping wet and shaking violently with cold as he fumbled in his pockets, hands shaking. His lighter was gone when he pulled her out from that stupid stream she had managed to fall into.

He fumbled around on the ground of the small cave like shelter they had luckily managed to find- looking for some dry grass, flint, _anything _for him to even attempt to make a makeshift fire. Merle was completely right- he was shit out of luck without that fucking lighter of his and something to fucking light.

They had one pack and it was soaked through with nothing but a couple cans of fruit and a couple of water bottles. Niether of them had thought to pack extra clothes, why bother for a one day trip?

"_Expect the unexpected as much as the expected. Unexpected hurts worse."_

Daryl had never wished he had applied Merle's advice in reference to their daddy more than he did right now. Carol's eyes held that spark of worry he hadnt seen since before the prison, since before Sophia- and he knew he had to get her warmer. He knew if he didnt with her being wet- she was going to die.

"_Body heat baby brother, time ta get ya dick wet." _

.

"Ya gotta stay awake Carol." his voice trembles slightly and he hope she cant hear it. He's cold, but her lips are turning blue and her eyes keep drooping shut. They are sitting together side by side as far away from the entrance of the cave as possible- their arms barely brushing but shooting bolts of cold electricity through him regardless.

She smiles sweetly, her head falling onto his shoulder. "t-t-t-t-t-tired." her voice is to soft and hes not sure if he should be even more paniced than he is or if its because her breath on his neck has him flinching with a nervousness that only shes capable of envoking. Because he cares, god damn does he care.

She closes her eyes again, and this time when he calls her name. She does not stir, and she does not open them.

.

Its the adrenaline that makes him bolt up and her body to slump against the cave wall, and still she doesnt move. Hes pacing and he can see his breath coming out in puffs of smoke.

"shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit." it becomes a mantra as he looks towards the entrance of the shallow cave and back to her wet frozen body. He kneels down beside her and catches a pulse and he can breathe if only a fraction better.

He sees Merle then, standing at the entrance watching the scene, big ass grin on his face and while he knows in his heart his brother is gone. Daryl knows that he slammed his knife into his face more times than he can count- and there he was, two handed smiling like he had just found his ole stash.

"Stop fuckin smilin an get over here n help me!" Daryl says to what he knows, what he really knows must be nothing- still- he's clear as day and while he knows he also _doesnt. _

_ "Alrieady did baby brother, 's time ta beh a man- less ya want ole Merle ta take care of 'er for ya." _

The thought alone makes his blood boil, but he shrugs off what some might call jealousy and returns the conversation on what its really about- saving Carols god damn life.

"Aint time for that Merle. She's gonna freeze ta death."

_"And I aint lyin, kid. Ya really gonna have ta man up 'ere or shes gonna die on you n less ya wanna put ya knife through her skull ya gonna have ta get 'er outta 'er clothes and touch her Darylena. Ya know this shit." _

"If I knew this shit dontcha think I woulda did it when she was _awake?!"_

_ "If ya didnt know this shit ya wouldnt be learning it from a dead guy, ya dumbass." _

He shook his head twice as if to shake himself awake and get out of this god damn nightmare, but sure enough Carol was still against the wall, he was still cold- and Merle try as he might to wish him away- was still there smilin like a kid on Christmas.

.

He props Carol up then, trying to think about anything other than what hes doing. His face is flushed with more than cold as he pulls a longsleeved shirt over her head which proves to be quite the challenge since its determinded to cling to her body.

Its the first time he's seen Carol topless and as many times as he imagined it, never had he imagined it like this. He thought if him and Carol ever did get here- if she ever did want to be with him in this kind of way- if he ever knew how- if- lots of if's he realizes and still, shes as beautiful as he imagined her to be.

Her body sees to glisten from the water and goosebumps scatter her bare arms and lean stomach. He swallows when he takes sight of her hard nipples straining against her thin white bra.

"Aint about that Dixon." he whispers to himself. "Aint like that."

He watches Merle watch him from the corner of the room, his arms draping over his left knee as he nods in approval.

_"Ya know ya gonna have ta git naked to dontcha? Otherwise she aint gonna get any of ya damn body heat- and by the looks on ya face baby brother yas getting plenty ta give ta her."_

"Shut up Merle." He growled his face glowing bright red, but that didnt stop him from lying her down and working on removing her wet jeans. He couldnt believe he was undressing her, as much as he wanted her to wake up, hed rather her be asleep if he had to do this if he had to touch her this intamately. He didnt know what to do- or how she would feel and he was having a hard enough time trying not to physcially respond to her lack of clothing.

_"Panties too baby brother- you can keep those as a trophy when ya done. Best hurry to it- getting her outta that wet shits barely scraping the iceburg little brother- best not take that long on ya'self." _

He unclipped her bra and slid off her panties hoping to turn off Merles voice as he stripped off his leather vest, but just as he got bare chested he heard him loud and clear.

_"She got 'erself a nice set of titties dat one." _

_._

Daryl cant breathe as he lays down next to her, he presses his chest into her back and he's shivering not so much because hes cold but because of the whole god damn situation. How was he ever to explain this when she came to? Saving your life was sounding like a very poor excuse when his errection was pressing into the softness of her ass. He was desperatly trying to fight the urge to grind against her because god did it feel SO good to be against a womans flesh, he struggled to remain unaffected as he laid an uncertain arm across her middle.

"What do I do?" he hated that his voice sounded so pathetic- but Merle didnt seem to mock him on it this time.

_"Aint gonna work instantly. Ya wait."_ Merle paused for a moment, something his brother rarely did. _"Less ya wanna warm her up quicker in that case ya gonna have ta do more than CUDDLE." _

Daryl could hear the underlying message- even though his tone had been anything but cruel- the undertone was- "PUSSY." is what he pretty much said. And while Daryl didnt want to agree- a small tiny microscopic part of him did.

"That aint what I asked." Daryl said trying to put some 'man' back into his vioce. "what do I do?"

Merle smiled than, _"Oh ya? Ya gone and grown a pair on me n askin ya olda brotha for some tips in the bedroom. Never thought Id see the day." _Merles eyes trailed down to Carols small breasts, perked with cold. _"Personally Id start there-" _

Daryl pressed his lips to the back of Carols head and closed his eyes forcefully, speaking in a whisper hoping it reached her wherever she was. "Im enjoying this cause your beautiful. Im doing this to keep you alive. I would never disrespect you otherwise. You must know that right?"

He hoped that wherever she was, she would say right. She hoped when she came to she would understand.

His hands moved to palm her breasts awkwardly, and he couldnt help but enjoy the weight of them beneathe his callosued palms, he allowed his left hand to brush her hardened nipple and he felt a surge go through him straight to his loins when she let out a sharp little breath.

It was working and while it turned him on it also derailed him- it didnt stop him however from playing with her breast- or his errection from slightly grinding into her ass.

It was amazing how good she felt against him- he could feel the feet resignating between his chest and her back- it wasnt shit his brother was telling him in an attempt to feel her up. There was merit to his madness. He lifted his head to look over Carol's shoulder to tell Merle he was right. That he wasnt a dumb shit after all. To thank him.

It was only when he lifted his head did he see the emptiness that surrounded them and the reminder of his brothers lost was overbearing. He tilted his head into the crook of Carols neck, a hand gripping her breast a little more conviction. He was glad she wasnt with him yet- or she might feel the wetness on his shoulder for more than just the unnecessary cold. She might actually see it for what it was- greif.

.

His hands seem to roam on their own and it was almost as if Merle was guiding his arms to different spots of her body. He didnt seem as clumsy as he felt and she was starting to respond- her eyes hadnt opened yet, but her heartbeat was accelerating and he would pry sounds out of her sometimes.

When his hands trembled over her /_pussy baby brother, call it wha it is/ _Carols eyes fluttered open just slightly. "Daryl?" she whispered her voice faint but present and somehow his errection digging into her ass wasnt quite as safe as it was when she wasnt present. He couldnt help but wander embarassed how he was going to resolve things with this woman. This woman that he …..

"_Call it what it is baby brother."_

This woman that he loved, this woman that hed grown to admire in all aspects of their miserable lives.

"Just warmin ya up." he said, his hand tentativly flicking over her clit, and she _whimpered _just slightly and much to dismay he found his dick literally throbbing in response. He bit his lip to conceal his groan- a small faint smile playing across her features, her faraway eyes giving off the smallest hint of lust.

"Feels good"

And just like that she drifted a way from him again- her body enjoying the sensation and trying to come back from the near death of hypothermia. It seemed like a never ending war that Daryl was hoping desperatly to win for more reasons than the hard length between his legs.

.

It had to be the noise, Daryl realized. If she had continued to stay mostly quiet like how she had been before- if it had just been the quickness of breath- he would have been able to dignify he was saving her life. Now, he wasnt so sure what he just did.

.

She whimpered as he stroked different parts of her pussy as he explored her. It wasnt constant, but she would gasp, and whine and whimper. The sounds elicited such excitement in him that had him thrumming with life. His eyes were clouded with lust and before he even realized what he was doing he was spreading her thighs and pushing himself at her entrance.

It happened fast the penetration- much faster than he thought hed be able to do. In fact, he was certain he would miss, or that he wouldnt do it. It was just the noise knowing that he was responcible for making her feel good- regardless of consent and ethics – he was making her feel good when he touched her. It made him feel like maybe he could really be something to her. It made him feel powerful. It made him feel loved and more so than that- it made him feel GOOD.

He had to control his hips from shaking as he adjusted to her. She was so wet and so warm and so tight- he didnt understand how she wasnt completely able to be there with him. Their bodies felt so hot- he was just dripping sweat trying to control from busting in her right than and there.

"How-"he trembled against her bare shoulder "is it possible to feel this good?" He closed his eyes trying to think about anything other than her wet constricting walls clenching his rock hard dick. Sure enough, Merle was here to save the day surprisingly not here to throw guilt into the equation.

_"Feels nice ta get ya dick wet dont it baby brother? Dont wanna get off ta early nowz, ya gonna wanna wake her up ta the best fuckin of her life ya understan' . Loves for pussys, but if thats wha ya think it is- it better be fuckin good baby brother. Dont give her no five min job."_

Daryl nodded glad to have his brothers voice still with him, even if his face was no longer present. And if he was to be honest with himself- feeling like his brother was watching him molest Carol really didnt calm his nerves any.

"Carol." Daryl whispered into the shell of her "I want you to feel this. I want you to feel how how hard this is for me...h-how close I am...h-how much I want you. All of you. I need you to come b-back to me. Please."

His hips trembled much to his dismay and he found himself thrusting into her warmth, body shaking with desire.

She screamed a few minutes after he started- not one of panic, but one of desire. Blue eyes wide and lust filled as if she had been present the whole time- her body very much aware of his actions even if her mind wasnt.

"Daryl." she moaned. "I-I..."

"Cum." he muttered. "please." He couldnt admit that he was hanging by a thread and her time was limited.

Her body seemed to obey him though, because shortly after his request, that throaty scream filled the cave again and her walls clenched around him milking him for all he was worth- he shook as his load rushed from him and deep inside her. He collapsed beside her then, embarassment of the whole thing painting his face pink as he looked at her- knowing he was the one who had to explain things. The one who had to tell her why he did it. What he did.

She rolled over to face him, a small hand touching his gruff face- that kind warm wonderful smile carassing her features.

"Im warm now."

.

He didnt profess his love to her- though he imagines through the stumbled explanation he gave her, hes sure she knows. She didnt question nor ask him for one, she just kissed his cheek and nestled up into his arm. He wasnt sure how he got so lucky, but as she cuddled up into him- he stared across the coolness of the cave- a shiver crawling up his spine as he looked to where Merle had once set earlier that evening. Sure enough, where he lie was just enough dry grass and a piece of fucking flint- just a fucking 'nough to start a fire.

He didnt question it as he abandoned Carol momentarily to light the fire buck ass naked before cuddling back up to her.

He just watches his brother through the fire, that familiar mocking grin dancing across his features, the smile reaching all the way to his eyes.

The wind outside roars, and the snow falls if possible even harder.

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Fin.

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Authors Note: As always, please read and review.


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